Hawkesbury Junction.
Sunshine and showers was the weather forecast for the day. The forecast proved to be very accurate. The sunshine at times was very warm and the showers were heavy. But it did not dampen our spirits. What dampened our spirits was not being able to book a meal in the Greyhound for fathers day!
Hotel boats Snipe and Taurus arrived quite early at Hawkesbury. It was good to watch the way that the butty Taurus was slipped to the inside and then brought alongside the water point. Quiet and without any noise or movement to our boat as they passed.
The day was not over yet. I managed to tick off another one of the canal boats that I have wanted to see for some time. When into Hawkesbury Junction and under her own power came - Steam Powered Narrowboat Emily Anne Stroud. Built in 1991 by her current owner, Emily Anne is a coal fired steam narrow boat, she is 58ft long, with a steel hull, and a steam plant that was commissioned specifically for her. She is quite distinctive in look with her Dutch Barge shaped cabin, vertical bow and large black funnel!
Today was a day for doing nothing. Full of all sorts of intentions, my day should have been pretty full. However, I only achieved peak lethargy after taking the dogs for a walk. Then giving them a bath due to all the mud and crud that they had collected. We set up to give them both a trim, however after completing half a dog the rain arrived once more and the clipping had to be abandoned. Poppy looks quite good from the front, but seems to be wearing some strange sort of pantaloons from the back. A remedial clipping is planned for tomorrow.
I have had some thoughts about feeding ducks and other birds off the back of the boat. We do like most other people do and from time to time feed the birds. However I have noticed that the young chicks soon get accustomed to going to meet boats and begging for food. Which in the main is a handout of stale bread and so not the best diet for a growing chick anyway. So we have decided that in the best interests of the birds we will not feed them unless there is a shortage of natural food available.
I watched as people made their way along the towpath during the worst of the wind and rain. Its Friday and they were returning to their boats hoping for better weather this weekend.
I was reminded of L.S.Lowery and his paintings of the matchstick people. The curios forward stooping gait of someone battling against the wind and rain.
Time to settle down for the England - Sweden football match...
Time to settle down for the England - Sweden football match...
Wildlife: Long Tailed Tits, Dunnock, Wren and Sparrow all haunt the hedgerow along side the boat. Coots, Moorhen and Mallard with their young are on the water.
Daily Total
Miles: 0.0
Locks: 0
Swing / Lift Bridges: 0
Tunnels: 0
Pump Outs: 0
Engine Hours: 0.0
Accumulated Totals
Miles: 941.7
Miles: 941.7
Locks: 695
Swing / Lift Bridges: 117
Tunnels: 6
Pump Outs: 10
Engine Hours: 2200.0
Later......
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